Greetings and Good Wishes for Social Occasions in French

How would you tell a French friend “Happy Bastille Day"? The French do not really say that, the way we say "Happy 4th of July." It would be nice to know how to express and exchange greetings in French. Here are some common ones.

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Expressions Used in French Wishes

The French, like everyone else, have many greetings which they use to extend good wishes to each other on birthdays, feast days and holidays. They also exchange toasts on special occasions, and congratulate each other on passing examinations and winning contests. What expressions do the French use to express these greetings? The words “joyeux and bon(ne) are the main words used to initiate the greeting or wish. Here is a list of some common wishes:

The French wish each other well for almost everything. You just use the word “bon’ or ‘bonne’ or the phrase ‘je vous souhaite’ or je te souhaite..’ and you can be assured the French people will be happy with you. At home, on the street, when someone wins a prize, there’s always an occasion for congratulations.

To express condolences on the death of someone, you say:

Condoléances

Armed with these expressions, you can go a long way in feeling at ease in establishing and maintainingsocial relationships with the French.

Here are some other websites, where you can learn more about French greetings: